Scots say mobile phone use NOT the main cause of car accidents

A new survey has revealed what Scots think are the biggest causes of road accidents.

500 Scottish drivers were asked by car dealership Citygate what they consider to be the greatest dangers on Britain’s roads.

45% of those surveyed said they believe speeding drivers are the biggest cause of road accidents - an opinion that’s supported by data from RoSPA, which revealed that 14% of drivers routinely break speed limits.

An overwhelming 75% of 25-34 year-olds believe breaking the limit is the main reason for road accidents - compared to a quarter of 55-64 year-olds - highlighting a generational divide when it comes to the perceived dangers of driving at higher speeds.

Intoxication issues

In spite of ongoing shocking THINK! campaigns and 687 drink driving convictions in London alone in the last five years, just 33% of those surveyed believed driving under the influence was causing chaos on Britain’s roads - highlighting a lack of awareness when it comes to car accidents throughout the UK.

The survey also revealed a consistent generation gap, with half of 25-34s - compared to 17% of 45-54s - citing driving while intoxicated as the greatest danger to other road users.

Driven to distraction

28% of participants said in-car distractions were the main cause of motoring mishaps, supported by data from road safety charity Brake - which suggested that 22% of crashes could be caused by driver distraction.

Drivers’ attention spans proved a particular concern for over 65s, 50% of whom gave in-car distractions their vote.

Last year, the Mirror reported that 67 people were killed in mobile phone-related car accidents in the previous three years - but with just 28% of the vote, Scots don’t seem to agree that mobile phone use is an ongoing danger to road users across Britain.

Misplaced blame

According to Autocar, driver error is the most common contributor to road accidents - but almost 18% of those surveyed by Citygate were quick to blame other road users for Britain’s collisions.

Faulty vehicles also came under fire in the survey - with 16% of Scots saying they believed malfunctioning motors were at fault, rather than pointing fingers at the drivers themselves.